Precious
by Izzu
Summary: Set during episode 7. Yume wondered about the name their parents had given them, as well as his purpose for living...


az: Heh. Muses are amusing.

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Precious

Written by Izzu alias honou-no-izumi

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_'What's in a name? That which we call a rose...'_

Yumehito laughed at himself. Since when had he been into classic literature? Perhaps because he had been resting these few days, he started reading random books to amuse himself. After all, freefalling from on top of a supermarket building was not an easy feat. Especially if you happened to survive such fall.

What had gone into Ainosuke's head? Did he pushed him too hard?

Even then, his brotherly instincts still won through... hasn't it? Just before impact, he had held onto Ainosuke tightly—hoping that he could lessen the impact of the fall, enough to keep his brother alive. How lucky were they that the truck had been parked strategically underneath them? He didn't even want to know how Noriko and Yoshida managed to anticipate the direction from which they would fall...

As much as he was glad to be alive, he was more relieved to hear that Ainosuke was still safe. Everything would lose its meaning if his brother had died.

That, brought his mind back towards his initial thoughts. Why on earth have he done so much for this brother of his?

He glanced back towards the news article that he was holding.

Could it all be just in name?

_Tanaka Yumehito. __Tanaka Ainosuke._

He sighed. Wonder what was it that had been their parents' thoughts when they named both of them. Yumehito, taken from 'Yume' and 'Hito'—in a way his name had literally meant a person with dreams or something around that meaning. Wonder if his parents had wished for him to grow up as someone who have dreams or someone who could convey his dreams into something other people could see? If that was so, what were their thoughts when they named Ainosuke?

Yume could not help himself from grinning widely. Noriko wasn't around, so it should be okay. He could not keep this facade of indifference all the time, could he? And it's not like the other person would ask him why suddenly he started grinning to himself.

Wonder if their parents had thought of that name, because Ainosuke had been such a cute child? He grinned again. It's not like he could really ask them now anyway, so his own thoughts might be as close as his parents'. Even then, he wouldn't be surprised. Ainosuke was after all so cute, even now. Certainly a child whom you could have easily _loved._

A beloved child.

Could it be he had loved Ainosuke so much that he would do anything to make his brother happy? Perhaps it had been so.

All this time, he had barely remembered a time when he had acted without having Ainosuke in his thoughts first and foremost. Everything that he ever done in his life, almost everything... had been for Ainosuke. This was especially true, ever since their parents had died and he ended up taking care of his brother himself. Something that he would rather do himself rather than depending on his relatives.

Could it be because of _that_ day?

Since then, he had become more worried about Ainosuke—especially since the trauma had been so much for the young boy then, that the memory of that incident remained sealed at the back of his brother's mind. Spare himself afterall. How could he ever forget that day?

Yume sighed again.

Perhaps because he cared so much about Ainosuke, he had no second thoughts about entering the world of crime for his brother's sake. Heh, what a hopeless older brother he was.

Well, it was worth it... for him. It was after all for his beloved Ainosuke.

Wonder if Ainosuke could ever forgive him?

He had written that word of apology in that last letter he had written for Ainosuke. Wonder if Ainosuke still kept that letter?

Yume shrugged as he glanced towards the ceiling.

Old cherished memories started filling his mind as the thought of Ainosuke smiling earnestly to him made him smile. Perhaps he would not have another chance to see Ainosuke smiling like that again to him in the future. But it was okay, not that he minded. He had made his choice after all.

He frowned as he felt the tears on his cheeks before wiping it away.

No, there was no regret. There was—after all—no one else that he had loved most other than Ainosuke...

_Gomen ne, Ainosuke._

_For giving you such a cruel 'gift' like this. For giving you such great grief in order to make you happy later on._

Yumehito thought of that moment on top of Nanbu Department Store's rooftop when Ainosuke had been talking openly to him in tears. He smiled bitterly.

_Forgive this older brother of yours, I may not be able to return that old brother that you missed, back to you._

The countdown had already begin.

Yume glanced back down as he closed the book that he barely read, and pulled out a single picture in between the pages of the book. He glanced at it briefly before flipping his phone open. Yume scrolled down the phonebok entries until he found Ainosuke's number and dialed the number, as he waited for the line to connect.

"**As I thought, you're alive..."**

Yume smiled. It always felt good, hearing Ainosuke's voice...


End file.
